Eezham Cinema takes shape with Chinam-ko'l movie filmed in occupied Tamil Eelam

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 January 2020, 23:41 GMT]
Sinamkol (Ciṉamkoḷ/சினம்கொள்), meaning “infuriate”, is a theatrical movie filmed in the occupied Tamil Eelam narrating the situation of former LTTE freedom fighters. The critically acclaimed film gets screened in Europe and North America this weekend (03-05 January) in eight countries, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and the USA, after a series of successful premiere shows. Canada-based Ranjith Joseph, the story writer and the director of the film, has demonstrated incredible ingenuity in circumventing the censorship hazards of the unitary state of genocidal Sri Lanka in making the movie, which was shot in 70 locations in the three districts of Ki'linochchi, Mullaiththeevu and Jaffna in 2017. The approach of the story is genuine to the core in all its aspects.



Through exceptional cinematography, intelligent screenplay, effective use of film techniques, and suitable music, Ranjith Joseph has broken the taboos decreed upon Eezham Tamil artists by the powers that want Tamils rendered as defeatist victims forever.

As a result, Chinam-ko'l (#Sinamkol) has become the standard-setting movie for the emerging Eezham Tamil Cinema.

Many of the background scenes where the characters carry forward the main narrative of the theme, are places of symbolic and historic significance from the times of the armed struggle for Tamil Eelam.

Chinam-ko'l has become the first movie to be ranked by a native organisation in the field of Eezham Tamil cinema as the reviewers of the internet-based non-profit organisation, Eelam Cinema, rewarded it with a rating of eight out of ten (four stars).

Chinam-ko'l is also the first movie, made by Eezham Tamil artists on their struggle, to get ‘U’ certified in India.

While the director, story-writer, dialogue-composer, songwriter and most of the actors were Eezham Tamils from the island and the diaspora, the technical crew behind the movie was from Tamil Nadu, and the lighting technicians were Sinhalese from the South.

The most prominent observation so far on the film has come from Nassar, the popular actor from Tamil Nadu.

According to historians, the film industry in Europe gained a new thrust in the aftermath of the Second World War, observed Nassar. “I also find that observation correct.” Given the intensity of so many losses and trauma that had occurred within the small territory of Eelam when compared to the World Wars, Nasser was having high expectations from a film that comes from such a place.

“Therefore, I was watching the creations from Eelam/Ilangkai with much expectation. But, my thirst went unquenched for long. Chinam-ko'l has finally satisfied that expectation,” he said in a video comment after watching the film.

“The landscape was a striking feature in the film. Like many films in Tamil Nadu, it also emerges as a character in the film. The scene composition featuring the landscape and nature, especially the palmyra trees, has been arranged in a way conveying the message that the palmyra trees with the lifespan of a few hundred years also had witnessed the happenings. I could sense it while watching the movie,” Nassar said.

The songs from the movie and comments from Tamil Nadu artists, as well as the flyers of the screenings in 21 cinemas in Europe and North America, follow:















External Links:

Times of India :		For the first time, film on Tamil Eelam gets ‘U’ certificate
Skymagic Pictures:		Skymagic Pictures
IMDb:		Sinamkol: Full Cast & Crew
EelamCinema:		Eelam Cinema Review (Tamil)